Run the World on a Budget: How to Travel for a Race Without Spending Lots of Money

Coach Hayley [00:00:00]: If you have wanted to do a race for ages, and, you know, you want to make a massive experience of it because it is so important to you, I think then some expense in terms of what you do when you're there is justifiable, if if you can afford that and you want to afford that. But I think there is a way to make that part of things a lot cheaper if that is what you want.

Cory Nagler [00:00:25]: 1 of my favorite things about running is race day. The cheering crowds, the loud music, and being surrounded by massive groups of runners who share my excitement. And there's a good chance if you don't live in Boston, New York, or Chicago, that there's travel involved too. And experiencing new places through running is an amazing experience. These trips can be really expensive, though. Everything from registration to flight and hotels depending where you go can really add up. That's why we're giving our 10 best tips to save money on your next big out of town race. While giving these tips, I totally get that these trips come at a significant cost, and that all the budgeting in the world won't make it affordable for everyone.

Cory Nagler [00:01:05]: There's nothing wrong with sticking to your local 5 k, and honestly, some of these races staying near home have been some of my favorites. Having said that, I think there's something really special about going to a new city to race, and if you stick around, we'll help you figure out how to be a part of that excitement for a little less cost. Hello, runners, and welcome to the Run to the Top podcast, where our goal is making you a better runner with each and every episode. I'm your showrunner, Corey Nagler. And I'm not an elite runner, but together, we'll explore new strategies and topics to take your running to the next level. This podcast is created and produced by the expert team of coaches at runnersconnect.net, where you can find the best running information on the Internet as well as training plans to fit every runner and every budget. Coach Haley, I'm so excited to have you here with me to chat about traveling for races because this is 1 of my favorite things ever.

Coach Hayley [00:02:08]: Yay. I'm excited to be back.

Cory Nagler [00:02:11]: Yeah. Can, can you remember what the last race was that you traveled for? I I seem to recall there was an ultra where was it in France?

Coach Hayley [00:02:19]: Yeah. Yeah. Oh my god. There was that ultra. And then there was all the, you know, the cost of getting to it and doing it, and then I ended up dropping out anyways. So that's what was fun, isn't it? You know, these races, they're such an investment. And then if you end up dropping out for any reason, it's a bit like, oh, well, why did I do all that then? Especially when you drop out 20 miles of a 70 mile race and you're like, oh, well, that's like, that's a lot of money I'm not getting back. But still still get the experience.

Cory Nagler [00:02:48]: Yeah. I don't know about you, though, but the the 1 experience I've had with that is when I went to the Amsterdam marathon and dropped out. And it almost made it better. Like, instead of kind of sulking, it was nice to be in a new country and kinda feel like I had a vacation ahead of me.

Coach Hayley [00:03:01]: That's funny. I've also dropped out of the Amsterdam marathon.

Cory Nagler [00:03:05]: Happy with something in the water there,

Coach Hayley [00:03:06]: I guess. Yeah. Maybe maybe it's not it's not a good 1 to do. It's a good experience. But, yeah. I guess that's another 1 where it was a bit like it's it's not cheap to get to and it's not really a cheap place. And then if you drop out, you're like, oh, well. But, yeah, there's, like, fun stuff to do and you can still make a good experience of it.

Coach Hayley [00:03:26]: So, it's not all bad.

Cory Nagler [00:03:29]: Yeah. Did you have that in France when you went? Were you able to kinda make a runcation out of it?

Coach Hayley [00:03:34]: I mean, not really. Just because I was, like, injured from the ankle twist and I can't really walk. So that, like, otherwise, it would have been nice to maybe, like, explore the area a bit, but we kinda plan to go home quite soon after anyway. And I was, like, very, very slow at walking due to the twisted ankles. So, and I was in a really bad mood about it. So it wasn't great, but I I did like the area, and I'm hoping to go back to do that race again next year. So this year, actually. And it so it can't be all bad.

Cory Nagler [00:04:06]: Yeah. What time of year is

Coach Hayley [00:04:07]: that? May 0.

Cory Nagler [00:04:10]: May 0. Okay. That's not that far away for an ultra. So I guess you've started training?

Coach Hayley [00:04:15]: Yeah. I guess, like, because I because I'm aiming to do an ultra at the January,. So, like, I've already been training for that. So I hope that I'm kind of starting from a good place anyways, and, the race at the January, will just be, like, like, kind of long run for it anyways. So so hopefully but, been a bit unlucky with races I've entered recently, so I'm kinda not trying to hold on to them too tightly and and think, oh, I've gotta do that. So but they are such an investment. It makes you

Cory Nagler [00:04:45]: a bit frustrated when you then end up not being able to do it or complete it. Yes. We're recording this in But by the time this comes out on Jan. 29, will you have raced already?

Coach Hayley [00:04:56]: Yeah. I mean, I hope so. I've had some, like, last minute kind of issues. So I hope that I can do it, but I'd like this is more like just a experience because it's like a dream course for me, but not really 1 that I'm particularly good at. It's very technical. Like, literally, when I did the recce, we were like doing fifteen minute miles and, you know, we weren't exactly taking it easy. It kinda tells you what kind of terrain it's on. It's like climb bring over boulders and stuff.

Coach Hayley [00:05:23]: So that's definitely not my area. Like, I am poor at those races. I'll probably have, like, old men bombing past me down hills and stuff. But it was kinda like a it's such a fantastic course, but it was kinda like an experience 1. So it's not like, I have to be in great shape for it. But, it snowed a lot here recently, and I I ran in the snow a bit just to help me prepare for those extreme conditions, but it has, like, aggravated some stuff for me. So now I'm, like, given that May 0 is more my focus, does it make sense to, like, injure myself here? You know? But I would love to do it. So fingers crossed.

Cory Nagler [00:06:00]: Yeah. Alright. So let's bring it back to our topic all about, you know, trying to trying to make these fantastic races abroad a little bit more affordable. So what is this dream race? And, if you are traveling for it, what are some of those biggest expenses that you expect?

Coach Hayley [00:06:18]: Yeah. I mean, the race is called the arc of attrition, and it's a 50 miler. There is a hundred mile version, but I'm not that crazy. So that's like that's something that's gonna take, like, days for most people because it's such tough terrain. But, the 50 miles sounded more achievable for me. And it's on the Southwest Coast Path of of England, which is known for being quite kind of technical and rocky and stuff. So, because it is in England, it's not gonna be a massive travel for me, although it is still a seven hour drive, which of course does come with some costs in terms of fuel and, just general kind of wear and tear on the car and stuff, but it's not gonna be crazy in terms of travel just because because, you know, we can drive ourselves there. But, and then we've managed to because of the time of year it is, and it's usually like a seaside summery kind of place for people.

Coach Hayley [00:07:12]: The accommodation there isn't too bad either. So we've managed to find somewhere, I think, fairly cheap to stay. So it's not been a major break the bank 1, but then also I think we are quite good at, like, saving money, when going to these big races. That being sad, I think a lot of the cost just comes from the fact that these ultras cost, like, a stupid amount of money to enter anyway. Entering the race itself was probably the biggest cost and then getting all the mandatory gear, which is insane. Like, I feel like you've gotta have, like, you know, plates and bowls and a whole set of cutlery and 50 layers and, you know, the mandatory gear list is just a bit silly, I think. And that costs money. And I I don't like that part of all just because I think that makes it a bit exclusive to the people who can't afford it.

Coach Hayley [00:07:59]: And then even if you can afford all these bits of gear, it's like you might pay £30 for something. But if you pay a hundred and £20, the thing is like a hundred times lighter or something, you know. And then it's like being able to pay for the gear makes you better, which I don't really like. But, hey, I guess it's just how things are in in this new new kind of racing that I'm doing. So I have to get used to it.

Cory Nagler [00:08:23]: Yeah. And that's very much the case for marathons too. Like, you don't necessarily need that 300 pair of super shoes, but, you know, they they might make you a little bit faster. And, honestly, even if you're not wearing super shoes, I feel like even regular daily trainers are a lot more expensive than they used to be five or ten years ago.

Coach Hayley [00:08:39]: They are so expensive these days. I just cannot believe it. Like, I still refuse to pay more, like, a hundred pounds for a pair of trainers. Like, I try to refuse, but it just becomes harder and harder. It's just crazy.

Cory Nagler [00:08:53]: Yeah. So I think we've covered kind of the fuel cost, transportation, flight if you have to take that, talked about some of the accommodations, the actual entry fee. I I think though 1 of the big expenses is just when you're actually there, and that's maybe the 1 you don't account for as much. Because I find I I know what my flight and hotel are gonna be when I go to race, but you don't necessarily think as much about what are you gonna pay at the expo? What are you gonna pay for restaurants? What souvenirs are you gonna buy? Because that's kind of stuff that I think are a little bit more impulse purchases.

Coach Hayley [00:09:25]: Yeah. Definitely. Like, they can add up, but those costs are probably also 1 of the most controllable. I know that it's not something that I generally spend a lot on, but, it also depends a bit on, like, how you how you wanna see things. And if you have wanted to do a race for ages, and, you know, you want to make a massive experience of it because it is so important to you, I think then some expense in terms of what you do when you're there is justifiable, if you can afford that and you want to afford that. But I think there is a way to make that part of things a lot cheaper if that is what you want.

Cory Nagler [00:10:05]: Yeah. Oh, a %. And I think my my personal opinion is, you know, if you find that Boston jacket that you've been working for for for years, if, if not even longer than that, then totally worth it if it's gonna make your day. But there's so many little purchases you can you can get that you can probably get for cheaper back home.

Coach Hayley [00:10:24]: Yes. Definitely.

Cory Nagler [00:10:26]: Cool. Well, maybe that's a good kicking off point to get into what are our 10 top tips for saving on travel races. What do you say we get into it?

Coach Hayley [00:10:34]: Yeah. Let's do it.

Cory Nagler [00:10:36]: Alright. So I'm gonna start with number 1, which I think is perfect timing as we're releasing this in Jan. 0 for anyone doing a spring race because that's register early. So maybe let's talk about how this can save you some money.

Coach Hayley [00:10:50]: Yeah. I mean, it definitely can. I mean, in terms of entering the race itself, a lot of races. I know 1 that I've done before have, like, tiers of entry. You know? So, like, if you're entering a year before, you might pay less money than if you enter, like, last minute. And that's definitely worth looking into. It's sometimes like a sliding scale. So, like, you know, one year before is this, six months before is this.

Coach Hayley [00:11:13]: I'm not all races are like that. You know? Some races, they just, this is how much it costs and that's that. But that's worth looking into. I mean, a lot of these things are gonna differ by the race and the different races are different ways to save money, but that's definitely somewhere that you can save in terms of the race entry itself. And then, you know, if you enter in advance, then you can book your flights and hotels in advance, and that's where you really can save quite a lot of money.

Cory Nagler [00:11:39]: Yeah. Absolutely. I think the last race I did in Spain, the round trip price I paid was probably, like, half what it would have been a month out from the race, but that's because ten, eleven months out in advance, I had registered, had everything booked, and granted, this this was for Valencia, which actually does fill up ten or eleven months in advance. But even if the races don't fill up, it it can actually be a lot more affordable if you're able to plan that far ahead. I I know that that's maybe not a circumstance everyone is in, but if if you are able to know what your schedule is gonna be.

Coach Hayley [00:12:11]: Yeah. Definitely. Like, everything is so well, in most cases, a lot more affordable to do it like that. Hotels. I mean, I haven't flown to a massive amount of races. I tend to drive. I like to drive to places, and I I don't really like to fly that much, although I have in the past. I've done some pretty long drives to get to races just because I prefer it that way.

Coach Hayley [00:12:33]: But in terms of hotels, I know that when I used to do the London marathon most years, I would sort of book the hotel for next year's London marathon basically straight after I'd left the hotel the same hotel, you know, for the for that year's marathon. I'll be booking the next year's already because it it would be a lot cheaper to book it then. And, and the thing is that you can usually like, if you book 1 of the, like, classic kind of, I'm just thinking of this. I'm using London as an example here. If you book 1 of the classic UK kind of budget hotels, they're, like, nearly always, oh, and you can cancel up to twenty four hours before you check-in. And then, like, where's the harm in booking it? Even if you're, like, thinking you're, like, fifty fifty on whether you'll deal on the next year, you might as well just book it because you can cancel it. So, sometimes I think that in some cases, you might not even have to, like, pay until until you actually go or something. So, but it's usually, yeah, it's it's usually cheaper like that.

Coach Hayley [00:13:28]: And, and then you've got it if you want it. And if not, you just cancel it. Or sometimes I've actually just kinda sold it to someone else as well. So, it's kinda worth it if you can do that in advance.

Cory Nagler [00:13:41]: Totally. And I think that free cancellation is definitely something to look out for because I'll say the the race I'm looking at in the the spring, I'm not exactly sure which day I'll be leaving. So I've literally booked the same hotel for 2 different lengths of time because it's free cancellation pay there. So then I can just cancel 1 reservation. So, e even if you can't book flights, because you're looking at the dates, that's maybe something to consider just so you can lock in that hotel. Right?

Coach Hayley [00:14:06]: Yeah. That sounds like a very wise idea.

Cory Nagler [00:14:09]: Why is it as long as you remember to cancel, obviously, set those reminders.

Coach Hayley [00:14:12]: Yes. Definitely. Yeah. You definitely wanna set a reminder. I'm pretty sure that me and my husband have forgotten to cancel 1 in the past. But, yeah, usually, it's okay.

Cory Nagler [00:14:23]: Usually. Yeah. You gotta be on the ball for sure. Alright. Let's, let's get into number 2 here, which is check your airline fees because you can end up paying a lot more than just the cost of the flight. What do you think of this 1, Hailey?

Coach Hayley [00:14:37]: Yeah. Definitely. Like, if you end up going on, like, a budget airline, then they're just gonna try and charge you for, like, 50,000 more things. And, like, to be honest, you don't you probably don't need it. Like, I feel like you you can usually get most deep well, the races I've done before, if you're going somewhere for a bit longer, this is this is obviously gonna be a bit different. This is probably relating to, like, races where I didn't go away for that long, but I found that you can kinda get stuff in your hand luggage, and then you don't really need to shout out for the for the check luggage. Or maybe, like, if there's 2 of you, then 1 of you pays for the check luggage and then, you know, you're saving a bit of money there. But I think just be wary of adding it on stuff that you don't need because you can make your flight cost a lot more.

Cory Nagler [00:15:21]: Yeah. And in some airlines, especially the budget ones, will charge you even for carry ons. And if you're bringing racing gear, you're you're definitely gonna need at the very least a carry on. Plus, even if you do need to pay for these things, sometimes there's a difference in the rate you pay at the airport versus booking in advance online. So it's something you're gonna wanna be aware of.

Coach Hayley [00:15:39]: Yeah. Definitely. I think this is the 1 where you'll have loads of tips, Corey, because I I as I mentioned, I'm not really, like, a frequent flyer, so you probably have some great tips there.

Cory Nagler [00:15:49]: I do. Yeah. I mean, the the other thing I would say is check if you have benefits with your credit card or bank. Obviously, for those who listen, they'll know I'm up in Canada, so I have a a car with, with Air Canada. So anytime I fly with them, I I can bring my carry ons for free, which, you know, if you're going for a weekend, doesn't matter. But if I know I'm gonna gonna need the the carry on or or also the free checked bag that comes with it, then, you know, that's anywhere from 50 to a hundred bucks saved, depending on what airline you fly with.

Coach Hayley [00:16:20]: Yeah. That sounds like a wise thing to do as well.

Cory Nagler [00:16:24]: Alright. Let's talk number 3. And, Haley, I think this is 1 that, that you do have, some good opinions on. And it's don't go to the race expo without a shopping list or don't buy anything at all. What do you feel about this 1?

Coach Hayley [00:16:38]: Yeah. I mean, like, I mean, it depends how you look at it. Because for some people, the expo is, like, part of the experience, and it's fun to go, and it's fun to buy stuff. My my personal choice has always been to, like, aim to buy nothing at the expo, and I'm not sure I ever really have. I'm always very good to make a checklist kind of before I leave, so I don't so I have everything with me. And then even in case where I felt like I've needed something else, I'd just rather visit, like, a local shop where if I'm there a few days before, maybe even, like, just buy something off of Amazon or something to come, like, next day because I think the expo is is just not a great place to really do more than just pick up your number. I mean, that's my opinion. And I think there's definitely a case for saying, oh, but it's part of the experience and you should enjoy it.

Coach Hayley [00:17:25]: And if it's like, you know, your once in a lifetime race, then you definitely should enjoy it. If that's something that, like, means a lot to you and will help, you know, you have the best experience, then I'm definitely all for it. Personally, I I kind of am more about, like, you know, it's a place where you can pick up jams. It's a place where you can spend a lot of time on your feet. So I'm kinda like get in, get, you know, but get out. And where you place, you can kinda lose your money. You know? But yeah. Like, just consider your own your own personal viewpoint on that and what is important to you about your experience and whether you do want to spend money there and time there.

Coach Hayley [00:18:06]: If you don't, like, make a plan to get in and get out, make a plan make a checklist before you leave your race so you don't forget anything. Or, if you do forget something, see if there's a way you can get it without going to the expo. Because, you know, sometimes there's, like, local running stores or something, and that might be a little bit cheaper. Or if it's just, you know, like gels, you might even be able to get them in the supermarket or something. So just consider if there's cheaper places to get anything you've forgotten. But if it's part of the experience for you, then I don't see anything wrong with enjoying it. But then maybe you also need to set yourself a little bit of a budget that you that you aren't gonna go over because probably could go a bit mad in those places if if you let yourself.

Cory Nagler [00:18:49]: Absolutely. And in terms of, like, gels and chews and stuff, if you forgot, definitely check stores or get them at the expo. But I I definitely wouldn't leave them behind just to get them at the expo because I think, for 1, you're probably gonna find better deals if you buy them elsewhere. But also, 2, I think it just adds time and stress to be looking for something you're gonna need on race day. Like, I think it's fun to shop around for jackets or shorts or or, you know, shoes that are not gonna be the ones you you race for later. Again, those are gonna add up, so definitely make a checklist of what you actually wanna buy. But in in terms of gels, if you're hunting around and having trouble finding them the day before your race, like, it's it's it's not gonna add to your race expo experience. No.

Cory Nagler [00:19:34]: Okay. Let's go to number 4, which I guess relates to the point we were kinda just making, but, you don't need to buy expensive running gels. Maybe let's elaborate on this 1.

Coach Hayley [00:19:47]: Yeah. I mean, I agree. I think that's 1 reason why it is to get get stuff ahead of time because you can often get, you know, less about thinking about exactly which gel you use and more about thinking where you get them from and how you buy them. I've I buy the same gel every time, s I s beach gels, because they work for me. And I've seen them on Amazon, like, wildly varying prices. Like, sometimes they're like, you know, £80, then again, like, £30 for, like, the same amount, just how they vary over time. So if you're buying something like that, like, keep an eye on the price because it might sort of change. And if it if it does kinda go down in price, then if you can stock up because you regret it when the price goes up again.

Coach Hayley [00:20:30]: And sometimes you can save a bit of money by buying in bulk from from I mean, I think this is gonna be different depending on on where you live because if there are different I know there's places in The US where you can, like, get kind of credit when you buy stuff and different deals and all that, but, it's worth kind of researching the options and seeing how you can get your particular gel more cheaply. And that might be buying a bit more at once or using somewhere where you get, like, points when you buy that you can then get more with or looking for deals or it's kind of about doing the research, I think, on that. If you want a particular brand, which you might, and I think if you do want a particular brand and you found a brand that works well for you, that is something that it is worth investing in if you can, like, probably more so than, like, getting expensive gear, because a good gel really can, like, make or break your race. And there are definitely, a wide variety of gels out there. And I know I've tried a lot of gels, and there are certain ones that work for me. So, and they literally make or break my race. So it's definitely something that I have decided to invest in in the past, but that doesn't mean I'm not, like, looking for the deals and and, using, like, multi buys and discount codes and things.

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Cory Nagler [00:24:31]: And and I would say don't don't be afraid to try gels multiple times. I think, you know, right now, I think the big expensive 1 is is more than that everyone talks about and that that can cost an an arm and a leg. And and if that works, great. It works well for a lot of people, but that cost can add up over a training cycle. Even if you try another gel that's a little bit more affordable and it doesn't work the first time, I'd say try it at least 2 or 3 times before you rule it out, because sometimes your stomach needs to adapt. But the other thing is I'm a huge advocate for liquid nutrition. Because even if you, you know, even if you find a discount on SIS or GU or stuff like that, you know, dollar per gram of carbs, it's never gonna be as affordable as getting Gatorade or another sports drink when you consider that a bottle of that is is probably the equivalent of taking 3 gels.

Coach Hayley [00:25:20]: Yeah. That's definitely true. And it and it definitely I mean, firstly, I agree with your point about, like, trying different gels. And I think, you know, Mortar might be the 1 that everyone uses, but there's actually loads of really great ones and, that are quite similar, really. Just because they have a different name, they might still work really well for you. So don't be afraid to experiment with them because, you know, there's probably more than 1 that works for you, and there might be 1 that's on on a sale or something. And that's definitely how I've come to find a gel I like before. I I got it because I had really good discount code for it, and then I thought, actually, this works pretty well for me too.

Coach Hayley [00:25:54]: So I think you can kind of try new ones and you might, you know And, yeah, the other thing is, like, in training, you don't necessarily have to use, like, your perfect gel all the time. I've definitely, you know, saved my favorite gel for race situations. But because I'm doing a lot of ultra training runs, my gel cost can massively add up. Like, I because I do a lot of long runs generally, I can use, like, you know, I can have three days in a week where I'm taking quite a few gels. And then for my long runs, I might be taking, like, 10 gels. Like, it's crazy the cost. But, like, that means I don't always use my number 1 preferred gel in training. Yeah.

Coach Hayley [00:26:33]: I might do in races, but then in training, I sometimes try, like, different things that are a bit cheaper, like like drinks, like, like sports drinks that I might not use in a race because for me, it's, like, not the optimal way to fuel, I think. I find it quite hard to, keep a track on how much I'm having, and I always have a very, very low end sweat rate. So I can't necessarily get all my carbohydrates from drinks without over hydrating, which is a consideration for some people. But if you can like use drinks, and it does work with, like, your personal sweat rate and everything, then it can be a really good option. And, if you're using a drink, you can there's actually some pretty cheap ways to use drinks that, for example, I often make my own sports drink for these ways to try and cut down on my jowl use. I'm making my own sports drink quite often, from, like, just some, you know, the same ingredients that are in, like, common sports drinks, but just buying the kind of constituent ingredients of the Internet, like, in their own packets, and then kinda mixing it together. And then you haven't got all the flavorings and everything as well. So, actually, that can be quite good for people's stomachs.

Coach Hayley [00:27:43]: But, homemade options are something you can try even if you don't necessarily want to use them in a race, and that works particularly well for sports drinks. Sorry. I actually covered quite a lot of different things there, but, any questions?

Cory Nagler [00:27:57]: No. I I I like the homemade sports drink. Do you have a specific recipe that you go to?

Coach Hayley [00:28:03]: Yes. But my husband has actually been making it recently, and it's kind of his specific recipe. So I'm trying to think what he puts in it, and I don't want to say it wrong and then cause people to make it and and, like, get annoyed at us because we we made them like a dodgy drink. But, so I think, like, when you look at the most common gels, you know, there's, like, probably, like, fructose and maltodextrin then, like, a little bit of electrolytes. So it's just those 3 things as far as I'm aware. I mean, like, the proportions that they use in, like, the most popular sports drinks. I'm not giving that as advice here because I can't completely remember the components, but, I'm sure we can, like, add it to the show notes or something if I kinda look up the recipe because I think it's 1 that's I think it's 1 that's, like, kind of talked about if you Google it and make your own sports drink and whatever. It's probably, like, quite available as well.

Coach Hayley [00:28:49]: So I don't think my husband's made some completely new invention either, but it's pretty cheap when you buy the sort of sports drink components individually and then mix it up yourself. And it doesn't take that long, and then you've not got, like, artificial sweetness and stuff. Because that was another reason I did, I started baking. Well, my husband started making it for me is because I I don't really tolerate, like, artificial sweeteners well in terms of my GI issues during running. So making my own kind of made sure there wasn't anything like that in there as well. And then you can actually if you are lucky enough to have had, like, a a sweat salt test or something, you can always add in the electrolytes that's, like, specific to you. So it's actually a really cool even if you don't need to save money there, it's actually a really great thing to do anyway, in my opinion.

Cory Nagler [00:29:37]: Yeah. It's funny. I very much relate. I found that none of the really artificial gels sit well with me, so I can actually dig up. I think, those who are listening on audio, obviously, won't be able see this, but this has been my go to for a while. Not a sponsor, but Honey Stinger, which is basically just like honey, a little bit of flavoring, and and salt. And I've also tried ones that do the same type of thing with, maple syrup, but I find they just sit so much better than than a lot of the really manufactured ones.

Coach Hayley [00:30:05]: Oh, cool. Yeah. That's probably quite similar. Like, I think a lot of people struggle to tolerate, like, artificial sweeteners, especially when their gut is kinda stressed anyway. I think that's probably something that can help a lot of people.

Cory Nagler [00:30:16]: Yeah. I've I've even heard, as a homemade drink. I can't remember who the runner was that, had mentioned this, but literally just diluting maple syrup with some water and then adding salt. And then you've you've kinda got, like, an an electrolyte drink that has everything that you would have in in something that you would buy in store.

Coach Hayley [00:30:33]: Oh, cool. Yeah. That sounds like it could work well. I'll have to try some new some new mixes, I think.

Cory Nagler [00:30:39]: Yeah. I've I've wanted to try at some point the, the Cam Levins, special. For those who don't know Cam Levins being a Canadian marathoner. But, I've mentioned this on the show before. He he's been known to fuel with lemonade on his runs, and that sounds delicious in the summertime.

Coach Hayley [00:30:52]: Oh, cool. Yeah. He's kinda taking the ultra runner approach because it's quite common at aid stations to have, like, lemonade and Coke. Like, I like to drink a bit of Coke, like flat Coke on an ultra because that can help settle your stomach surprisingly because, like, it's probably got a bit of sweetness in as well. But I think there must be something counteracting it there because I do find it quite, like, stomach stomach settling. So maybe the lemonade is kinda similar.

Cory Nagler [00:31:17]: Yeah. Could be. Okay. Let's, let's see the next 1. Okay. I think this is also 1 that we've maybe just touched on a little bit. But making sure that if you are going on a trip for a race, you bring lots of food and snacks. So, Hailey, how can these food costs add up if you're not prepared with snacks?

Coach Hayley [00:31:36]: Yeah. This is really important. And I always try to do this because feed in, like, airports and, like, hotels and even in little corner shops or something, like, near where you're staying is just so crazy. And you end up not getting what you want anyway. And I think, like, some people almost seem to kinda not bring stuff on purpose because they think, oh, I get stuff at the airport. But, like, how often can you really get, like, the optimal thing for you when you're trying to get, like, the stuff that you really need pre race anyways? Like, I feel like this is such a effective thing to just bring your own, like, carb fuel of choice for because, you know, when you're fueling for a marathon, you're probably, like, probably carb loading a bit, so you probably need more than normal anyways. So if you're gonna rely on stuff in airports and train stations and hotels, I think it's just not gonna go great, and that stuff is just so expensive. So just bringing, like, some stable items that, you know, your stomach handles well.

Coach Hayley [00:32:38]: Like, we bring, like, these little croissant things, which are really good for carb loading because they're easy to eat. I think we just got that idea when we were racing in France before, and we they sell, like, these packs of croissants in Audi and stuff. And we just, like, eat and dump the croissants, and they're really cheap, but such great, like, carb loading because they're easy to easy to digest and stuff. So if you get something like that beforehand and, you know, carb based snacks that you can just bring with you, obviously, if you're limited with, like, carry on and stuff, that might be a bit of an issue, but you might still be able to take a few things. But then if you can't, I would say if you have to go look for fuel where you are, don't don't go to, like, the little shops if you can or the sort of, coffee shops or cafes or something. Just go to a supermarket and buy, like, like, the croissants or, like, some rice cakes or bagels or something, you know, like, more stuff that you can make a bit more yourself maybe. And, I think that just generally works out cheaper because anything like a small corner shop, hotel shop, or or cafe, it's just gonna charge a lot. And it's probably gonna be something that isn't quite enough for you if you're carb loading.

Coach Hayley [00:33:49]: You know, you might get this small sandwich or something, but it's probably not in the right ratios you really need when you're trying to kinda up your glycogen stores before a race anyway. Plus, the reason I dropped out in Amsterdam was due to food poisoning. So I would I would say you don't want to start trying stuff in in little shops and maybe like the airport prawn sandwich that's been, like, in the fridge for a while isn't the best thing either. So it's safer to bring your own stuff, I would say.

Cory Nagler [00:34:19]: Yeah. I mean, that's a great point. Like, you can save a lot of money if you're prepared with food. But it's also practical, 1, from a stress standpoint of trying to find food when you're carpool loading and you always want food with you. But, 2, also from familiarity, you know, it's a little bit easier if you're traveling to, like, Boston or Chicago or New York. But if you're going anywhere where the cuisine's a little bit different, you probably wanna leave the experimentation a little bit more for after the race. So it can help to have thongs on you.

Coach Hayley [00:34:47]: Yeah. I learned my lesson from Amsterdam. I always bring stuff now, and I never eat out until after the race. No. Like, lesson learned.

Cory Nagler [00:34:56]: Yeah. The the other thing I've started doing for breakfast is I always have before every race, I will do toast with jam and sometimes peanut butter. And to bring all those stuff is a bit of a pain for even a road trip, let alone flying. But I found any supermarket is gonna have some kind of waiter brand bread, and then I will literally go to, like, whatever hotel I'm staying at and ask them for, like, jam packets or peanut butter packets. And usually, they will have it, and then you don't have to carry anything around, and it's free.

Coach Hayley [00:35:28]: Yeah. That sounds very similar to what I do. I think that's a great idea.

Cory Nagler [00:35:33]: Yeah. It's a great idea, though. I do get some weird looks when I walk out of the little hotel restaurants holding nothing but, like, a a whole handful of these jam packets. Yeah. Let's go to tip number 6, which is to stay close to the finish line to cut down on car rentals or taxi costs. Is this something you have experience with, Hailey? Yeah. I mean,

Coach Hayley [00:35:55]: I think there's, like, pros and cons either way. I'd say for for me, like, using, again, London as an example, there are definitely situations where it's better to stay further away if there is a good public transport route in because you probably get us pay a lot to stay, like, near the start of the London marathon. But you can also e equally stay outside of London where there's good, like, transport links in because then on race day, it's free to use the tube. So that's what I always do for a race like that. However, that might not always be an option. And if you are gonna have to get things like rental cars or an expensive taxi, if you aren't staying nearby, then it probably works best to stay nearby. So, like, I think it's a case of, considering the area, the public transport options available, and what is best. So, again, it's about doing really good research, maybe asking people who've done the race before, and just finding out what is the best cheapest option.

Coach Hayley [00:36:54]: Because I think sometimes the best cheapest option might be staying near the start. Sometimes it might be staying further away and taking public transport in, which might add a little bit of extra stress, but sometimes that's kinda minimal, like, and actually less stressful than staying near a very busy start. So I think there can be, like, yeah, pros and cons to to doing both there.

Cory Nagler [00:37:17]: Yeah. And it's so specific on the city. When I was in Amsterdam, I took the public transport there. It was either free or maybe a a euro or 2, and there were, like, big groups of people. Like, I probably could have gone in not even knowing the route and pretty easily known how to get there. But compare that to Toronto, and I love our marathon here. But the marathon starts at, I think, like, seven or 07:30AM, and our public transport system starts at six. So if you're not staying close to the start line, you can't start getting on public transportation at six if you need time to warm up and check your bags.

Cory Nagler [00:37:51]: So it's not really an option for most people. So definitely kind of ask around and figure out about the the public transport system, maybe even before you start planning hotels.

Coach Hayley [00:38:01]: Yeah. Definitely. It's so area specific because I know when we did that ultra, last year, because it was kind of some small, like, town in the mountains or whatever. It's like you're not gonna be able to get public transport there. The best thing to do is just stay close to the start and then or actually, the best thing to do was to stay close to the finish, and then they do buses from there that take you to the start. So it's like it's so very specific. And then I guess because it was an ultra, it was over such a wide area anyway that if you go to the start, you're sort of a hundred k from the finish. So, yeah, it's just really individual on the race.

Coach Hayley [00:38:40]: And

Cory Nagler [00:38:43]: Yeah. And I was gonna add that I think that links into the next 1, which is quite related, but that's to research local transportation and check if the race provides any shuttles. So I I think you were you were just talking about this point that a lot of races will actually, sometimes to both the start and finish line, provide you with transportation.

Coach Hayley [00:39:01]: Yes. They do. I think, I know. I think the ultra time plan to do at the January,, they do shuttles from different places to the start just because they don't want a load of people coming to the start because it's like, you know, like, their sort of area around there is quite, what's the word? Like, quite protected, relating to nature and, like, little small towns with lots of history and stuff. So they don't want loads of people coming to the start line, so they've got, like, buses taking people from different places. So if the race is already doing that, then why not take advantage of that option? It's a great a great way to to get to the start and also, like, maybe help the local environment and stuff as well. So

Cory Nagler [00:39:43]: Yeah. So I I think a lot of people listening to this in Jan. 0 might have their eyes on doing the Boston Marathon either this year or other years. And if you don't already know, Boston does provide shuttles or buses or whatever the term is that will, take you out to Hopkinton where the race starts since it's not actually in Downtown Boston being a point to point. But 1 lesser known fact that people don't actually know is that they actually have shuttles already in Hopkinton too. So when I ran the race, I actually stayed in Hopkinton. And instead of taking a bus at, like, five, five thirty AM and having to take, like, an hour trip out, those shuttles run every ten to fifteen minutes. And it's, like, five to ten minutes to get into the village.

Cory Nagler [00:40:27]: So I was able to go show up to the bus at, like, 7AM with, like, tons of time to spare before the race. So, you know, just because people have done it 1 way, doesn't always mean that's the best. So do your research whatever race you're gonna be running.

Coach Hayley [00:40:41]: Yeah. Definitely. Like, there's often options that people don't really know about. Like, if if you can find an option like that, that's really great because anything that can give you a little bit of a less stressful morning for a race is always, like, really appreciated.

Cory Nagler [00:40:57]: Oh, a %. And it's a trade off because I think for some people that that bus ride is kind of a a quintessential Boston experience. But for me, I was happy to trade that in for a little less stress and a little more sleep.

Coach Hayley [00:41:08]: Yeah. I would. Yeah. Definitely.

Cory Nagler [00:41:11]: And and not to mention saving on hotel costs when you're not staying in Downtown Boston. Yeah. It's, it's kind of wild to me how much hotel prices get jacked up before these race weekends.

Coach Hayley [00:41:23]: Yeah. They really do. Like, it's it's kind of annoying, but I guess I see why they do it. It's like demand and everything. But, you know, get your own back by booking them the the year in advance.

Cory Nagler [00:41:36]: Yes. So out of curiosity, for London, like, say say you book all the way year in advance. Mhmm. What does it typically cost for race weekend, like, per

Coach Hayley [00:41:43]: night? Let me think. Under the hunt under under £100, I'd say we booked it for a year out. So I think it probably goes up I mean, this is not in the Central London. This is kind of a little far out that we we always have this place that we stay, and it's quite easy to get, like, a tube ride in. And it's not too long or anything. I would say, yeah, like, maybe £80 possibly per night, but we just stay, like, the one night beforehand and then go home. So

Cory Nagler [00:42:19]: Like, that that's mind boggling to me because it sounds so dirt cheap compared to a lot of races. And for those who have run majors, it probably sounds cheap to you as well because I'm running Chicago in the fall. And if you find anything close to 500 remotely close to the city center, like, that's an absolute steal, let alone close to hundred pounds is probably something like a hundred and 50 US.

Coach Hayley [00:42:41]: Yeah. Like, I can I can imagine there? I mean, we've got we've done well to find some good deals, but it is a budget hotel as well. You know, it's very basic. But, if you come to The UK for a race, something like a travel lodge or a premier inn tends to be look out for 1 of those, just as a little tip because you tend to be able to book them a long time in advance, canceled up to twenty eight twenty four hours before. They're really basic, but you have, like, everything you need, like a kettle. And, you know, it's usually pretty standard stuff. So you don't so there you're not gonna get anything special. You also probably don't get anything terrible.

Coach Hayley [00:43:18]: So, yeah, that's what I tend to do. Everywhere I go to race in The UK, I'm like, where's the nearest travel lodge?

Cory Nagler [00:43:26]: Yeah. When I'm racing, I'm going for convenience over a nice place. And when I went to Amsterdam, I even booked 2 separate hotels. So I booked 1 that was closer to the, to the finish line for before the race, and then I moved to 1 that was more affordable and outside the city center for afterwards.

Coach Hayley [00:43:42]: That's a good plan.

Cory Nagler [00:43:44]: Yep. It was a good plan at first, I thought, until I was, like, so ruined from the race. I couldn't walk and trying to move my bags was a mess.

Coach Hayley [00:43:53]: Yeah. I always think about that. If I come to a hotel and I'm staying there before and after and I see there's, like, loads of stairs up to the room, I'm like, oh, no. Oh, no.

Cory Nagler [00:44:02]: Yeah. Yeah. It's a struggle. Alright. Let's, let's go to number 8, which is speak to locals for recommendations. Maybe a little bit less applicable if this is super close to your hometown. But if it's further out, I think this can really save you a lot of money. Haley, have you had experience kinda chatting with people from different cities you're traveling to?

Coach Hayley [00:44:23]: Yeah. I mean, I guess for me, and maybe this means I should I should kinda get out more and get away from the computer. But, generally, I I find that I sort of post things on Facebook groups where there's a lot of runners, to get recommendations or, like, just Google it and, yeah, like, use kind of social media to find recommendations. Because, you know, you're you're kinda casting a wider net there, and you're probably gonna get more recommendations. I guess that's more applicable if you live in quite a small place where there aren't that many runners. So, yeah, definitely get recommendations. Use Facebook groups and things like that to to get those recommendations. You know, like, you have a good Facebook group of runners connect.

Coach Hayley [00:45:08]: I'm sure if someone posted on there, like, I'm doing this race. What do you recommend? And they get they get some good nice replies on there from like minded runners too. So I think that can be really helpful.

Cory Nagler [00:45:20]: Yeah. A %. I think locals are likely to know these stuff about the race if they've run it and what kind of transportation there is, but can probably point you in the right direction of what types of hotels to look at, where to find the food you're looking for. It's it it just makes the whole experience so much easier. And maybe if not a local, even just somebody who's who's done the race before might have a little insider knowledge.

Coach Hayley [00:45:44]: Yeah. It's definitely worth finding people who've done the race before. Then you can get some tips about the race course as well and and the organization and things like that, which I think is really important.

Cory Nagler [00:45:55]: Yeah. 1 thing, a local run club I I run with called called Blacktoe in the City, they do before. I I know they do it before Boston. I think they do it for some of the other majors as well, but they'll have, like, a dinner together, like, a week out, where they kinda chat through all the logistics. So, you know, race strategy for the race, but then they'll talk through, like, what to, what to expect from the expo and, getting around the city and stuff like that. And it definitely takes a lot of the stress out when you just feel like you know what to expect.

Coach Hayley [00:46:25]: Yeah. That sounds really helpful. That's why I like doing the same races over and over again. Although it's really boring. It's because once you've done it once, it just it massively takes the stress out of things. But that sounds like you get all the benefits without just having to repeat the same race. So that sounds really good.

Cory Nagler [00:46:43]: Haley, I hope you know that, you're gonna be my point of contact if I'm running the London race now.

Coach Hayley [00:46:47]: Yeah. Very happy to help. I'll tell you exactly where I stayed in this hotel. And then you can get the budget hotel deal as well. Although, don't blame me for the basicness of of the room.

Cory Nagler [00:46:58]: That's fine. Basic is just fine. Definitely London's on the bucket list.

Coach Hayley [00:47:03]: Cool. Yeah. It's a great race.

Cory Nagler [00:47:06]: Okay. We're on number 9 now. And this one's actually for after the race, but it's to explore the city on foot. Maybe harder in some cities than others. Not every city is equally walkable, but I found you can have some pretty good experiences just walking around if you know what the sites are.

Coach Hayley [00:47:25]: Yeah. Definitely. I mean, depends on how beat up your legs are, I guess, but hopefully not too bad and you can enjoy walking around. But, yeah, especially with a city like London, there's so much you can see if you're on foot and you can have a great experience with without ever actually having to pay to go in anywhere. There's so many great things to see, and, it's a good atmosphere. And, there's some lovely parks to walk in and things. So I think, to be honest, I don't think that you need to pay a lot of money to get a great experience after a race. I mean, that depends on your preference and what you enjoy doing, but I think just kind of walking around the city and, looking at some of, you know, the famous landmarks and stuff is is a really great way to enjoy it.

Coach Hayley [00:48:07]: I don't personally find that I that I think I would gain much by paying loads of expensive entry fees and things. And definitely walking around is is a more relaxing way to experience it. And I know I said that it might not be so fun if your legs ache, but to be honest, now that I think about it, possibly the tube is worse because you have to go up and down the steps. And, it's quite busy, so you can't just, like, stroll along at your own pace. So maybe it's nicer to walk around and not be rushed and not have to go up and downstairs.

Cory Nagler [00:48:38]: I think also just to flush out the legs too. Like, the the last thing I wanna think about for the few days after a race is is running or even biking or cross training. But I find if I'm walking around a city, it it just keeps me from feeling, like, tighter or lethargic when I'm not doing kind of more structured workouts.

Coach Hayley [00:48:58]: Yeah. I think it definitely helps recovery. I I sort of keep moving over just sort of sitting down any day. I think my worst ever recovery experiences have been when I've traveled home quite soon after a race and been sitting down in the car for a long time and then I've just felt terrible. So I think that keeping walking around the city is actually a really great recovery tool as well. So.

Cory Nagler [00:49:18]: Yeah. And you talked about pricey entry fees, definitely with tours and stuff, but even just with, like, taxis or Ubers, you know, taking 1 to the race start, is probably not gonna be a huge portion of your expenses for race weekend. But if you're needing to take those everywhere you go, like, that can really add up over the course of a weekend or or even longer, depending how long your trip is.

Coach Hayley [00:49:42]: Yeah. Definitely. I mean, I used to live in London, so I fully appreciate, like, how expensive it can be. And, like, you know, food and drinks just seem to be ridiculously expensive there. I mean, sure. Treat yourself after a marathon. You've got to. But, like, I say do a mix.

Coach Hayley [00:49:58]: Like, you know, have some things that you that you buy from a supermarket and kind of prepare yourself and then treat yourself to some things. But I always think it's worth, like, make sure if you treat yourself, it's like something you really, really want. Like, don't just end up being forced into buying some, like, rubbish thing just because, you know, it's the only thing available. Have those basic things yourself. And then when you do splash out on something, make sure that it's something that you're really, really excited about.

Cory Nagler [00:50:23]: Yeah. And this is part of the reason why I like having checklists and stuff because it it helps for me personally to just reflect on what what like, what are the things I actually wanna bring back that are gonna make me smile later, that are gonna make my experience, and those are the things I want to invest in.

Coach Hayley [00:50:37]: Yeah. I think that's so important. Like, that's what I I mean, I think, personally, I am quite tight, and I don't like spending money, and I like to budget. But then if there's something that I am gonna spend money on, you know, it has to be something that I really want. Does that make sense? Like, you know, I want I don't mind spending money if it's on something that is really important to me and is really gonna add to experience, but I can't stand it when I end up paying for something that that I didn't really want anyway just because I needed some food or I needed a drink or I needed something else, you know, like, I don't mind spending money if it if it's something that really adds to an experience and, like, a food I'm really craving or, like, something I've always wanted to do. But it was just, you know, just because I have to, it's it's kinda like it's a bit frustrating.

Cory Nagler [00:51:20]: Definitely. No. There's always those, those traditions and stuff that you almost feel like you just have to do this. I think, like, when I was in Prague, everyone would have kind of those, like oh, they're they're almost like these twisted fried dough cones, that they put, like, ice cream and and toppings on. They're they're pretty traditional there. But if you go to a touristy area, you know, they'll they'll charge, like, 8 to €10 for those when you could probably go to, like, a very good gelato shop and and get something delicious for half the cost.

Coach Hayley [00:51:50]: Yeah. That is so true. Like, when I was in France for, like it wasn't for a race actually. It's just for, like, a training camp, but, everyone was going on about these amazing almond croissants at this bakery. And, like, I kinda realized that you could get the same croissants that were almost exactly the same at the supermarket for, like, a fraction of the price. And then I could have, like, 5 of them or something. So, like, it it seemed a bit silly that everyone was going to this bakery just to get this croissant when it was just it wasn't really very different, in my opinion, to the to the supermarket ones because yeah. Yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:52:25]: That was that was 1 of my favorite parts about France is, like, when I'm in any, a North American city, I feel like you want a really good baked good. Like, maybe there's a few specialty shops that will have something delicious. If if you're in France, you can go to pretty much any bakery, and it's gonna be as good, if not better than those shops here.

Coach Hayley [00:52:41]: Yeah. Their bakeries are amazing. Like, I just went to, like, an I think we just went to, like, an Audi bakery or something, and they had so much choice. And it's so much cheaper than than going to, like, 1 of the, you know, the little bakeries that everyone goes on about.

Cory Nagler [00:52:56]: Yeah. And it's wild to me how affordable and good the cheese is. Like, supermarket cheese that is is good as, like, you know, something you would get on an expensive charcuterie board here. You could spend just a few euros at the supermarket.

Coach Hayley [00:53:08]: Yeah. Actually, to be honest, in in Britain, I think we're kinda okay with cheese. But I think when I happened to The US, perhaps, I was a bit, like, disappointed about the cheese. No offense to any US people if you're like, feel kind of protective about your cheese. But, like, I feel like France and Europe is, like, more better for that kind of thing anyways.

Cory Nagler [00:53:30]: Yeah. Maybe I'm speaking to the wrong audience here because in Canada and most of The US, we're not spoiled for that. But maybe we have some listeners over in Wisconsin who have no idea what we're talking about with the poor cheese.

Coach Hayley [00:53:41]: Yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:53:43]: Okay. Well, I think, again, we've definitely touched on the last saving tip here, but I'll go to it anyways because I think it's so, so important, which is make a budget. And probably as an extension to that, stick to it.

Coach Hayley [00:53:59]: Yeah. Yeah. I think, like, then going back to only paying for things that you want to pay for, you can you can be more intentional about that. You can, like, work out what you're really gonna invest in, what's really gonna make the experience for you, and then what you really wanna be careful about and not spend too much money on. And, just having that in mind beforehand is gonna be really helpful in making sure that it's it's the best experience it can be for you, I think. And, otherwise, as well, I think it's just very easy to spend more than you wanted to spend, just to have it down. It's gonna be really helpful, I think, just to to keep you focused.

Cory Nagler [00:54:36]: Yeah. We are definitely not financial experts here, but I am definitely somebody who has also gone on a decent number of trips for races. And they can get really pricey if you don't have a budget. And I think they're such cool experiences and ones that you can actually, you know, go on for a lot less money if you're willing to per prepare in advance.

Coach Hayley [00:54:56]: Yeah. I feel like I I need to get my sister on as a financial expert because she's an accountant. She was telling me the other day she has, like, a budget she does for just, like, every month. Generally, I'm like, that is way too organized for me. I do not have a budget. I mean, I try to save money, but I don't, like, have a budget for the house, you know, every month. But maybe some people do, I think. I'm just not organized enough for that.

Cory Nagler [00:55:17]: Yeah. I'd be a little worried. There's some things I wanna budget for. Like, I kinda know grocery expenses, but I don't know that I wanna have a specific budget for, like, running shoes because I might be afraid to know how many I'm going through.

Coach Hayley [00:55:26]: Yes. I would be afraid. I would be afraid to know that. And I'd be afraid to know sports nutrition. Like, yeah. Even with all my good intentions of saving money, I feel like my costs on those 2 things are still probably, embarrassingly high.

Cory Nagler [00:55:40]: Yeah. And and really they're essential. Like, you don't wanna be starving yourself on run. So if it's a hobby, it's it's kind of just the price you have

Coach Hayley [00:55:47]: to pay if you're mixed up. Like, especially with the nutritional runs, I always think to myself, you know, like, it's so important. It's your health because if you get it wrong and you end up in a calorie deficit and you get a stress fracture, well, then you might be paying £500 for an MRI. So at the end of the day, it is worth it because you're gonna save on physio costs and MRI costs. So, you know, like, it's it's really worth it for me. I always try to tell myself that. And the same with shoes, I guess, you know, if you're wearing worn out shoes or shoes aren't right for you and you get a stress fracture, you're gonna be paying more on doctors and physios and things potentially. So, it's it's gonna and physios and things potentially.

Coach Hayley [00:56:19]: So, it's it's gonna pay off those 2 things. I don't think I think if you can I mean, not everyone can, but, like, if you can, you should spend your money on those things rather than the expensive gear, which, to be honest, that is, not that helpful in some cases? Of course, with some things like cold weather, it might be. But in terms of just general running, if you're lucky to live in a kind of favorable climate, my, my favorite running houses at the minute cost, like, $6.99, and they are so much better than, like, my more expensive ones, to be honest. Like, I don't think the cost necessarily lines up with how good a product is in a lot of cases. So shoes and nutrition, like, pay for it, I'd say, if you can, just because they can prevent you, like, getting injured, which is gonna possibly lead to more costs and just, you know, they're very important for, like, long term health. But in terms of, like, gear, you can pay a lot less than you you think, I would say.

Cory Nagler [00:57:16]: Yeah. And on the nutrition piece, just to not contradict ourselves, I I still think it's great ideas if you wanna make your own, but definitely have have some form of nutrition, I think, is what we're saying. You don't wanna skip it entirely.

Coach Hayley [00:57:26]: You can still get all that fuel making your own or going for cheaper options. Like, you know, some people find they can eat, like, jelly babies on a run or something or, like, you know, things that don't actually cost as much as traditional sports products. So, if you're 1 of those people, you can definitely you don't have to pay a particular amount to get that fuel as long as you're getting that fuel. That's the main thing.

Cory Nagler [00:57:48]: Yeah. My go to is pretzels, which is, like, super affordable as a fuel before run. I I did try recently, like I don't know if you have Sour Patch Kids, where you are, but they're, like, they're kinda, like, almost like gummy bears, but what with this, like, you know, kind of sour citric thing on them. And it definitely did not sit well. So I might have to make sure that I stick to something that's purely sweet. Yeah. Cool. Alright.

Cory Nagler [00:58:12]: Just, just to wrap up, we've kind of, I think, talked about our main tips when it comes to traveling for races. But any other tips just for budgeting or saving money as a runner in general that you wanna touch on?

Coach Hayley [00:58:24]: Yeah. So I have a few, I guess. Like, I know some people who kind of pay for gym gym memberships and don't potentially use it that much. I think, you know, in terms of, you might have to make, like, a short term investment for this. But if you if you find that you're more likely to do some strength, if you instead invest in, like, some secondhand weights or something, that awesome secondhand kettlebells, I've personally found that to be more affordable and something I would actually do. Like, rather than paying, like, I don't know, £300 for a gym membership, I sort of bought, like, a set of secondhand weights for, like, £50 or something and, like, use those instead. And to be honest, I probably wouldn't go if I had to. I probably wouldn't do strength twice a week if I had to actually get in the car and go to the gym.

Coach Hayley [00:59:15]: So having, like, a little gym in my house is actually a really better option for me. But it really does depend, you know, what facilities you have, like, if you have the room for doing that kind of thing and how you're you're set up. But it's worth thinking about if that is something you could do because you might think, oh, it's more money initially, but it soon it soon kinda saves on the cost of the gym membership over, like, the course of a year or like, I mean, the sort of five years I've been using just weights at home that I just got secondhand, they've more than paid for themselves. And probably in terms of injury prevention and not going to the physio so much as well. So it's definitely worth thinking whether you could have other options. And maybe even

Cory Nagler [00:59:55]: And the time savings to go to the gym.

Coach Hayley [00:59:56]: Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Definitely. Time that you could be, like, spending with your family or, just getting those strength sessions in that you wouldn't normally have time for. And same with if you if you need to do, like, cross training or you you wanna do cross training to kinda supplement your mileage, like, again, this 1 might take a little bit longer to pay for itself, but I have, like, a road bike and that I already had. And then I bought, like, a a turbo trainer, which is in a lot of cases, it it may not be too expensive if you get, like, a refurbished or a secondhand 1. And then there's, like, free alternatives to Zwift.

Coach Hayley [01:00:30]: Like, there's 1 called, like, Mywoosh, which is like a free Zwift. And then you can have, like, a cross training setup in your home as well, which may not pay for itself as immediately, but still, if you're talking over, like, five years can, again, make you do it. And also, in the end, it's cheaper than going to the gym. So, just depends on, like, how like, whether you're able to make that upfront investment, I guess, because initially, it's more expensive than paying for one month at the gym, but then you look at, like, you know, three years of going to the gym and it's a lot cheaper. And then the money it might save you on physio and massage and things. So

Cory Nagler [01:01:08]: Yeah. And those are things that are easy to overlook. I don't think I appreciated how much physio cost when you do have an injury can add up when I first started running.

Coach Hayley [01:01:15]: Yes. Yeah. I learned my lesson about physio recently though because I've been going to a physio in London, just because I I kind of, you know, knew from when I lived somewhere else and knew the person and was a big fan of them or whatever. But, like, I realized if you're gonna pay, like, city prices, it's, like, 3 times as much. And I I actually managed to find someone more locally who was, like, you know, like, a third of the price and and was also really good. So I realized that maybe, you know, physios might be different costs, but it's more about the the quality of the the person and how good they are as a physio and how, which you can probably get a good idea of with just a few kind of interactions with them. Then, you know, again, the more expensive physio isn't necessarily the better physio either.

Cory Nagler [01:02:00]: A %. Yeah. And I I think same thing to running shoes. The more expensive 1 is not always gonna be the better 1. But 1 tip I did wanna add to, and this is more specific to gear, but it's checking warranties because a lot of them have really generous warranty policies. I think I wrote down a few here, but, like, HOKA will refund any defect up to one year after purchase. Adidas will go all the way up to two years. And I've had 1 or 2 times when I've had, like, you know, just, like, a tear at the top of a shoe or a little bit of the mesh ripping in, my split shorts.

Cory Nagler [01:02:33]: And most of the time, the brands actually will, like, send you a completely new product if you do that. So definitely, be aware and take advantage.

Coach Hayley [01:02:41]: Yeah. I've definitely done that before.

Cory Nagler [01:02:43]: Yeah. %. Any any last tips before we finish off?

Coach Hayley [01:02:48]: Yeah. I guess just on the super shoes, like, 1 thing I found helpful to know is that if you are someone who uses super shoes in training as well, because, like, it's not something that's affordable to everyone to use them in training. But if you can, you can, like, add to those performance benefits and also, like, recover better from workouts and things. So there are benefits to training super shoes. But what's important to know is that although, you know, general knowledge kind of says that super shoes should only be worn for this many miles, which is a lot seems to be less miles than a normal trainer. Actually, that's more related to like that extra 1, you know, extra tiny, tiny bit of performance. So really, if you using a super shoe for training, you can use it just as long as a normal trainer really, and we still got all those recovery benefits and most of the performance benefits. So if you retire a super shoe for racing, just keep using it for training for, like, a lot longer because the, you know, the guidelines about how long they give those tip top performance benefits are not really related to how long it's still gonna give you recovery benefits and help you a little bit in training so you don't feel you need to then throw them away.

Coach Hayley [01:03:51]: Like, you can use a super shoe a lot longer. And if you're if you're not going for, you know, like, 10% super performance in a race, then just use your slightly more worn out pair, and you're gonna get most of the benefits anyway. Don't feel that they need to be, like, 200 miles in the bin because that's not the case. Like, you can use them a lot longer, and then it's generally kind of talked about really.

Cory Nagler [01:04:14]: Yeah. And I find timing wise, it works out really great sometimes where you can, you know, use it for 1 training block, marathon, half marathon, whatever it is. And then after you get in a couple races, it just becomes your training shoe until the next race when you then open a fresh new pair or when you've used a couple times for the next race.

Coach Hayley [01:04:30]: Yeah. Definitely.

Cory Nagler [01:04:32]: Yeah. Cool. I think that's all the tips, on my end. Anything else you wanted to mention?

Coach Hayley [01:04:39]: I think that's it, really. Yeah. I guess no. I think that's everything I had. I think we've given some great tips there, and hopefully it'll help.

Cory Nagler [01:04:49]: Yeah. Definitely. And I I think a lot of the stuff we lifted or listed on this show will be clickable in a lot of scenarios if you're traveling for races, but I think just for travel in general and also just for running in general. So, to everyone listening, I hope whether you're planning to go, race a marathon outside your hometown or or whether you just love the sport or love to travel that there's gonna be something here for you. Alright. I think, that's a perfect, place to wrap up. So, Haley, thanks for joining me and giving out some great tips.

Coach Hayley [01:05:18]: Yeah. No problem. I really enjoyed it. Hope it helps.

Cory Nagler [01:05:35]: Thanks for listening to the Run to the Top podcast. I'm the showrunner at Runners Connect, where as always, our mission is to help you become a better runner with every episode. You can connect with me on Instagram at Corey underscore Nagler, or through Strava by searching Corey Nagler. And please consider connecting with the rest of our team at runnersconnect.net. If you're loving the show, you can help us reach more runners by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Lastly, if you want bonus content, behind the scenes experiences with guests, and premier access to contests, and consider subscribing to our newsletter by going to runnersconnect.net/podcast. I'll see you on the next show, but until then, happy running, everyone.